Iranian president says Tehran will seek to raise taxes to compensate for the fall in revenues caused by Western sanctions

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TEHRAN (AP) — Iran’s proposed national budget greatly reduces the country’s reliance on oil revenues that are down because of Western sanctions over its nuclear program, Tehran said on Saturday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech late Saturday that his government will seek to compensate for the fall in oil revenues by cutting spending and increasing taxes in the next Iranian calendar year, which begins March 21.

Iran has long depended on oil sales for about 80 percent of its foreign currency revenue.

Iran’s income from oil and gas exports has dropped by 45 percent as a result of sanctions.

The West fears Iran may ultimately be able to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.